Brewton Parker Alumni Board Member Makes Public Resignation Over Ergun Caner; Meanwhile Caner Offers Confusing "Vision" for BP Future

Jeff Dickerson, a graduate of Brewton-Parker College and an Atlanta attorney, has tendered his resignation from the National Alumni Board of the college.

On Facebook yesterday, Dickerson posted:

"I am very thankful for the valuable life lessons I learned while attending Brewton-Parker College. However, I am saddened and embarrassed by the new administration and by the direction in which the school is moving. Accordingly, I today tendered my resignation from the National Alumni Board."  Jeff Dickerson, on FB, 3/10/14

You can see Dickerson's name listed here on the Brewton-Parker website as a member of the board. I'm sure it will be removed very quickly. I have captured a portion of the NAB member list showing Dickerson's name before it is removed today.

Further down in the Facebook thread, in response to friends wanting more information on his reasons for the resignation, Dickerson provided the following links:

Ergun Caner, Ex-Muslim Evangelical Leader, Exposed As Fake (by Walid Zafar)

and

Ergun Caner and the Integrity of Baptist Institutions (by Associated Baptist Press).

Bravo for Dickerson. Dickerson is no Muslim, he is no blogger in his mother's basement, nor is he a Calvinist. No, he is a defense attorney for a prominent law firm in Atlanta that is sorely disappointed that his college has gone off the deep end and hired Ergun Caner.

Meanwhile, to make things worse for Brewton Parker grads, students, and Georgia Baptists, Ergun Caner provided his "vision" for Brewton Parker in an interview he gave to Gerald Harris. This "vision" has to leave all those associated with Christian education scratching their heads - including the members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) who will be visiting Brewton Parker any day now to re-evaluate Brewton Parker's probationary status.

Ergun Caner seems to be confusing the function of an accredited college with that of a church or seminary. It seems he is more interested in BP being a center of indoctrination and not education. These quotes of his "vision" for Brewton Parker cannot possibly help their standing with SACS:

"Brewton-Parker has had some financial issues and athletic issues, but there is not one thing that can’t be solved by an altar call, by a revival." 

Really?  An "altar call" will solve the issues of a college dealing with accreditation issues? So what are these "financial issues" to which Caner refers? Let's read them right from the SACS disclosure statement after their last assessment, which extended their probation. SACS says Brewton Parker: 

"..had failed to demonstrate compliance with Core Requirement 2.11.1 (Financial resources), Comprehensive Standard 3.10.1 (Financial stability), Comprehensive Standard 3.10.3 (Control of Finances), and Federal Requirement 4.7 (Title IV program responsibilities) of the Principles of Accreditation. To continue as an accredited institution, despite failing to comply with the standards, the institution was able to meet the provisions of good cause.  

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not sure what "altars" and "revivals" have to do with any of these problems cited by SACS that, if they are not corrected by now, could result in Brewton Parker losing their SACS-accreditation this June.

Unfortunately, Caner's remarks get worse:

"We’ve got to invert the order of our priorities....The most important thing is not the degrees we give or the classroom; it is the altar. The classroom will take care of itself if you’ve got an altar, if you get the students back. "

What does that even mean? What is SACS supposed to think when they read the president of Brewton Parker uttering such unclear "vision", claiming the classroom will "take care of itself" if you get the students to "an altar"?

Sorry, but it gets even worse, as Caner shows he is much less interested in education than he is in religious indoctrination:

"I had rather cancel class and have chapel go on all day. I had rather have an all night cottage prayer meeting than have a symposium. We are going to have education that is focused on wisdom more than knowledge. Anybody can give you knowledge, but only God can give you wisdom."

Of course. Chapel over class. "Cottage prayer meetings" over symposiums. I doubt SACS is familiar with "cottage prayer meetings".  If they aren't, here is how to conduct a "cottage prayer meeting" according to the Tennessee Baptists. 

And for good measure, here is Ergun Caner's vision for Brewton Parker: :

"I want to see Brewton-Parker brought back to its glory days – to a invitation-giving, soul winning, sinners’ prayer leading, hope-to-a-local-church, inerrantist, general atonement, mission obsessed ministry."

But Caner knows this is all just religious-speak red-meat to the Georgia Baptists. Caner knows that retaining accreditation is not about altars or chapels or "cottage prayer meetings" or revivals. It is dedicated educators implementing systems in the college that will meet SACS standards - which I'm sure has been going on by dedicated staff and educators at BP way before Ergun Caner was dumped in their laps.

But if BP does retain their accreditation, Caner will likely claim victory, that God did it because Ergun Caner came on the scene to save the day and lead them "back to the altar". If BP does retain their accreditation - which they probably will - it is because of the leadership of the school before Caner and those on staff working hard to correct the deficiencies. Not because of altars or revivals or a miracle of God.

I would say this: Georgia Baptists ought to get to an altar and have a cottage prayer meeting - so they can pray for Brewton Parker's future under the leadership of Ergun Caner.

Ronnie Floyd - the Next SBC President - Endorses Robert Morris' "First Fruits Cursings" Teaching

It was recently announced that Ronnie Floyd, megachurch pastor of Cross Church, will be nominated for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention by none other than Al Mohler.

As I have already written about, just a few weeks ago Ronnie delivered a sermon to get his church members to believe that unless they fork over 10% of their income to their church, they are probably not real Christians. And to make his point he did not quote the Bible, instead he quoted the most abusive first-fruit-tithe-teaching pastor that is out there now: Robert Morris.

Here is what Ronnie told his church members:

"Pastor Robert Morris says 'it's a real shame that Christians don't believe the importance of writing the first check [10% of your income to your church] because God is the one we value first. God is the one we respect first....God is the one we fear first. It's not the mortgage company we fear first, it's not the U.S. government fear first, we should live our lives fearing God first."

This is Ronnie's mistake: he thinks "giving to God" means "giving to Ronnie's church". No, Ronnie, when I put my family first, and I pay my rent, and my insurance, and my kid's college tuition, and pay for my family's food and shelter FIRST, it means I place them above your 501(c)3 institution. It doesn't mean I don't fear God, or that I don't respect God. And the truth is, as Wade Burleson points out in his article today, this is what more and more church member are realizing, and it is why people are leaving church. They realize men like Ronnie Floyd are trying to manipulate them into thinking their church IS God's kingdom.

But Ronnie wasn't done quoting the wonderful Robert Morris, who as I said without question the worst of the mainstream evangelical first-fruit tithing abusers. Morris says non-tithers are arrogant, thieves, and subject to demon possession. He says do not pay rent or electric bill until you first give 10% to your church. He says church members must tithe to avoid divorce, or losing their kids or jobs to the devourer. Go to those links. Watch the video evidence of his teaching. This is the man Ronnie is quoting to his church as the premier expert on biblical financial principles.

Back to Ronnie: Next, Ronnie put up Morris' mug on the overhead image screens (see image above), and the quotes from his book "Blessed Life":

"He writes a book called 'The Blessed Life'. You never read 'The Blessed Life"? You oughta get a copy of 'The Blessed Life'. It's one of the greatest books on financial matters that I've ever read."

Wow. Do SBC'ers know what is in this book? Ronnie says it's the best book he's read on finances. Only two explanations for that endorsement: either this is the ONLY book on finances Floyd has ever read or remembers reading, or by "best" he means "if my members will believe this nonsense in this book I can double or triple my church's revenue". Take your pick.

But this book has a tagline at the bottom which says: "The Simple Secret of Achieving Guaranteed Financial Results."

This is health and wealth prosperity teaching. The book teaches people the concept of "first fruits" giving, that God requires the very first 10% of a Christian's income to be given to their church. This is not a recommendation - this is a requirement, for Morris teaches in this book that if you DO give 10%, God will bless you financially, "guaranteed". And God will "rebuke the devourer" - you know, like the mafia boss protecting your business if you share the profits with him. But if you do NOT give 10%, you are cursed by God, and God will not prevent "the devourer" from hurting you, your children, your spouse, your marriage and your finances. You think I'm exaggerating. No, this is what Morris teaches in the book, and what he teaches from the pulpit.

And Ronnie Floyd is pushing this nonsense on his congregation..

But Ronnie wraps things up with this quote from Robert Morris - note, he is quoting from a book written by Robert Morris, not from the bible:

"Robert Morris says these words: 'When God blesses you when you give the first fruits, being blessed means you're having supernatura power working for you'. Listen carefully, he says then 'By contrast, being cursed means having supernatural power working against you."

Now Ronnie is going to interpret what Robert Morris says. He is not interpreting scripture, he is interpreting Robert Morris:

"When we honor the Lord with the first fruits, then I've got the supernatural power of God working for everything else in that bucket. But listen: if I don't wanna honor God with my first fruits, then I've got the supernatural power of God working against me and my buckets."

Yep, don't give 10% to Ronnie's church, and God is going to work against you. You're "cursed".

When you get right down to it, this is about as anti-Christian of a message as you can get. As one writer said recently, to say you will be cursed if you do not tithe is really to publicly mock the work of Christ on the cross. Ronnie surely knows Galatians 3:13, where Paul says "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us".

So not only does Ronnie spit on the work of Christ with this teaching of the "supernatural power of God working against you" if you don't tithe, but he does it in the most arrogant and condescending way throughout the entire sermon. Watch him strut around and hoot and holler and point and bellow, here at this link. Or if you don't have 50 minutes of you life to waste, watch the 3 minute clip below.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, will likely be the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

I think that is perfect. The SBC deserves a man like Ronnie - a man whose search for revenue at his church ultimately harms the faith he professes.

And this is the man the SBC will likely get as their next president.

Update on "Marble Waters Hotel" Owned by Pastor R.J. Washington: Always Empty, Now Using Non-Profit Bought TV Air Time To Market the For-Profit Enterprise

As I wrote about in November 2012, a mega church here in Jacksonville built an 80-room hotel and suites called "Marble Waters Hotel and Suites". The hotel is built on the property of the "Titus Harvest Dome Spectrum Church" mega church owned and operated by Pastor R.J. Washington. Unbelievably, this church actually constructed a 4-story, 80-room hotel at a cost of about $11 million. 

The hotel, pictured at left, has been open for about a year. It has sat mostly empty, most nights looking almost COMPLETELY empty.

Now, the church is using TV time bought by the church for their ministry, to run commercials for the hotel! R.J. Washington and Titus Harvest Dome have a TV program on WJXT at 9:30 on Sundays, and this past Sunday the last 10 minutes of the program were devoted to commercials for the Marble Waters Hotel and Suites!

Is this right? Is this legal? A church is using funds - presumably untaxed tithes and offerings of their church members - to purchase TV time that is then used in part to advertise for a for-profit hotel that is owned by the pastor? How crazy can things get? 

There are some other strange things about this hotel that raises the eyebrows of the Watchdog:

1. The church purchased a 9.63 acre vacant lot to the west of the current church in 2004 for the price of about $5.6 million. Then, in 2011, a 3.2 acre parcel was carved out of this vacant 9.63 acres and was deeded to "Water Marble Holding, LLC" on which the hotel was constructed. Pastor R.J. is the registered agent for this LLC.

2. But it doesn't stop there. There is also a "Marble Waters Hotel and Suites, Inc.", a FOR-PROFIT Florida corporation, whose address is located at one of the church properties. Guess who is the head of this for-profit corporation? Yes, Apostle R.J. Washington.

This is beyond bizarre - the mixture of a for-profit hotel on property deeded by the church, but yet owned by the pastor, and advertised by the church on their TV ministry program.

My original post back in November 2012 was a bit in jest, pointing out that THIS might be the glimpse of what a mega or giga church would do IF indeed everyone obeyed their pastor and tithed and the church had so much of God's money they didn't know what to do with it.  What the heck, let's build a....HOTEL! Yes, a hotel for Jesus!

But really, I hope someone in the Jacksonville media will begin snooping around and asking questions: why did a church decide to build a hotel on their property? And do they even know what they are doing in operating it? What special "gifts" does R.J. Washington possess that would make him able to operate a hotel, and where did the money come from that was used to build it? And why is it mostly empty? And when it is sold - which it likely will be - to a company that knows how to market and operate a hotel - who gets the money?

And if the media isn't interested, maybe there are some church members who aren't too happy that their "tithes and offerings" might have been used to build an $11 million building owned by their pastor, that is sitting mostly vacant.

And now their money given to God is being used to advertise for this boondoggle whose vacancies make it look more like the Bates Motel than the Marble Waters Hotel.

Hopefully church members will speak up.

Steve and Donna Gaines Give Their Church Members Another Reason to Tithe: God Has a Mortgage Refi Waiting For You!

Another sad spectacle at the Bellevue Baptist Church this past Sunday

Steve and Donna Gaines told their church that when you tithe, "good things happen"...as Donna Gaines told a story about a woman she knows that knows a woman, who got a lower monthly mortgage payment after she "obeyed God" and tithed:

"This lady had been praying and really asking the Lord to give her the strength and the courage to obey him to tithe. And she was really having a hard time with it because she felt like she didn't quite have enough money to make her mortgage payment...Monday she didn't do it, Tuesday she couldn't get away from it, so she went on line, and she tithed. 

On Wednesday she called her mortgage company to tell them she didn't think she was going to quite enough and ask if they would her get on some sort of a payment plan to pay it off, and the mortgage company said 'Well, I want to tell you something, your mortgage was bought by another company and your mortgage has been flagged and we are piloting a program and your mortgage was chosen and we are lowering your mortgage.' And she needed her mortgage to be $1000 a month, and they lowered it $400 to $1069. And she believed it was the Lord showing her 'I am faithful.' "

And then Steve Gaines immediately followed that story with this wonderful interpretation:

"You know what that is? When you obey God, good things happen. You're waiting for God to bless you before you obey him. God will bless you WHEN you obey him. You've got to be committed to the will of God.

Well, Steve, I guess I just had the Christian message wrong all along. I didn't know that God was in heaven waiting to bless me AFTER I obey him in the matter of giving money to your ministry. Not much difference between Steve and Donna's story and the zaniness of Peter Popoff. Peter tells miraculous testimonies of how people get more money when they sprinkle his miracle water on their forehead - and after they sow a seed to his ministry, of course.

This kind of tithing nonsense is hurting the church. I know the likes of Perry Noble have their cult following and are growing massive churches using tithing fables - but this won't last. People are seeing it and will see these lies for what they are and it will drive them AWAY from the church.

The God that Steve and Donna are preaching with this tithing and blessing nonsense is a God that intervenes in a person's life if they prove their obedience by giving money to their church that they can't afford to give...but a God that apparently isn't so interested in intervening in healing a cancer-stricken child, or intervening when the molester abducts a child.

Their God is a God who is watching your pocketbook, and blesses those who give 10%, and curses and holds back blessings from those who don't. He'll even sandbag and keep a father and son estranged until dad comes to his senses and starts tithing.

Like Ronnie Floyd said a few weeks ago:

"That's not the God I know."

Gateway Church Job Postings Prove Mega Churches are Just Big Businesses: Jesus Needs a "Creative Director, Performing Arts" and "Cafe Barista"?

A commenter yesterday posted a link to a job listing for Robert Morris' Gateway Church. Apparently the religious business is good in Texas, and this 501(c)3 religious non-profit has about 13 paid positions open for "ministry", including these two:

Not trying to be critical here. I know. They are large. Tens of thousands of members.

Members need to be entertained. Thus Gateway needs a "Creative Director of Performing Arts"

Members need to drink skinny vanilla lattes when visiting the religious metroplex. Thus Gateway needs a paid "Cafe Barista."

But why do "churches" like this still enjoy a 501(c)3 religious tax exemption? They are businesses. They have customers. They provide services to their customers. 

The "Man of God" is the CEO. Why does he still enjoy a tax-free ministerial housing allowance?

And please stop telling me that Jesus Christ demands people to give 10% of their income to a place like this, else their finances are "cursed" or that God will hold back his blessings.

The "curse" is if you do decide to fork over 10% of your money to Gateway and other such religious businesses. 

That IS the curse.

If you're a member of one of these big dog churches: treat them for what they are. A business. If you like to show up on Sunday for the entertainment and speech, fine. Come, pay them about what you might pay for a movie, maybe $10 per person. Buy some popcorn for the kids, get the wife a latte, and sit back and enjoy the show.

But don't be conned into giving them 10% of your cash flow. Did I just say that? You better believe I did!